As soon as we heard that GQ would be getting into the subscription box game, you knew, of course that we would have to take a look and review it for you guys. We were, as it happens, super, super impressed with the first three boxes, and now it’s time to take a look at their fourth. GQ’s box delivers every quarter, as opposed to the more common monthly boxes you might be used to. And it’s something I truly look forward to every time now that they have such a good track record with it. It’s really fun! And there is always seemingly something great inside that I am excited to use. It’s called, as always, the GQ “Best Stuff Box” and it will run you $50 per box, or $190 if you sign up for a whole year of them.
If you are interested, note that they sell out super quickly. So while you can buy them outright without a subscription, it’s super hard. If you want them, you need to subscribe. Anyway, we are indeed looking at a price a little bit higher than what most of these subscription boxes usually cost, but, it’s only four times a year as opposed to 6 or 12 times, and we think the value here is tremendous. It’s quickly become our favorite subscription box service, by quite a margin (with Bespoke Post being second place). Let’s get into it a bit more by taking a look at what came in this third box from GQ.
The Box Contents
Liquid Gold Cologne ($190) — This one wasn’t for me. Not a cologne expert by any means, so I cannot comment on this too much. But it’s very overpowering and quite “spicy” if that helps any. They also only send you a small vial. It is the full bottle that costs almost 200 bucks. Not this little vial. So, a tad disingenuous.
Kiehl’s Eye Recovery ($37) — This was quite nice. Smelled nice, and was nice going on the under-eye skin (the most delicate skin on a body). The bottle was super small, though, so only lasted a week or two.
Dr. Squatch Soap ($7) — Funnily enough, this also ships in a Bespoke Post box. We liked it then, and we like it now. A cool soap to use.
Hims Vitamin Gummies ($19) — Something cool we have been meaning to check out, so very happy to see them included in the box.
Cord Rollup ($45) — Surprisingly nice feeling, though not sure I think it’s worth its retail price. Tossed it in my bag, though have not actually used it much yet. But I really should. A great example of a product that really is a lifestyle item that I would never have bought on my own, but now that I have it am happy to have it. I really need to start using it though…!
House 99 Moisturizer & Hair Cream ($25 ea.) — This stuff was great. A little goes a long way. It’s a thick, robust, and rich formulation that has a great, but a little bit strong, scent. Really like this. One of the better moisturizers out there… too bad no SPF or something.
Counterman Shave Cream and Daily Cleanser ($20-25) — Had never heard of this brand before, and they’re… fine. Nothing special here. Pretty standard stuff all around. Works well, but nothing to write home about.
JLab Waterproof Speaker ($30) — I was shocked they included something like this. Quite expensive, and really nice! It’s weighty, sounds great, and is a fantastic thing to have headed into the summer. Again, not something I would have bought myself, but am thrilled I now own. This alone is pretty much the value of the box.
Mophie Backup Battery ($35) — As if the JLabs speaker wasn’t enough! Not much to say here as everyone knows what this is, and can always use another one. Again, these last two items alone are worth more than what you paid for the box by a significant margin.
Value & Conclusion
Like we said above, this box will run you $50 per quarter. Originally, you could subscribe for the whole year for $150, but it seems they raised that price, so get in now before they raise it any more. The value in each box well exceeds what you pay. Unlike some other subscription boxes, the items you get in this box are truly high quality, top of the field items. There is no crap in this box. True, you might not use every item as it might not fit into your life, but overall, I was shocked at how much stuff came in this box, and the value inside of it, and the fact that GQ has now been able to deliver this same reaction two times in a row. I don’t know how GQ pulled it off, but I guess they are capable of doing things and making deals that the smaller subscription box companies cannot. They call this a “Best Stuff” box and it truly is. Again, color me surprised. But they really deliver here!
To be sure, one of the best parts of these boxes is getting items that you never would have purchased alone, but, now that you have them, are excited to get to try to use. All subscription boxes we have tested get the first part right, but the second part is the key. It all comes down to curation. Are the items you are getting actually any good? Are the items that you would not have done out and gotten yourself something that you now actually want to use and are happy to have? Do you feel like you have something of a personal stylist and curator? Well, GQ utterly nails this. I was, truly, blown away by all the great stuff in this box.
It is a bit pricier than the other subscription boxes — even more than the already-expensive Bespoke Post at $45. Plus, you get no customization whatsoever (like you do with Bespoke Post), and have no idea what is in the box until it shows up (or until you read GQ online or in print, as they sort of start advertising it before everyone gets their box, something I wish they didn’t do to keep it a surprise!). Nevertheless, I think it is without question worth the money. Right now, if you could only subscribe to one subscription box, it should be this GQ one. Once a quarter is a much more reasonable frequency to get a box like this than once a month, and, if the third box is anything like this one, I fully trust GQ to continue to deliver awesome items you’ll be excited to use and try — even if you did not select them beforehand.
Other boxes at cheaper price points give you products that are not as well curated, nor as high quality. GQ’s box gives you a bit of everything. Some lifestyle items, some grooming, some clothing. It’s the best of all worlds. As with so many things, you get what you pay for. If you’re going to subscribe to a service like this, we have seen without a doubt that a bit more money goes a much longer way. If you are asking us, we think the best subscription box service is GQ’s Best Stuff Box, pretty much hands down.
Check back next quarter for our review of that box!